Some Suggestions Please

SallyUK

Hello Everyone

Looking for some suggestions please.

For some time now, we've tried to get away on a "special" holiday - however sadly I lost my son a while ago, so those plans were obviously forgotten about.

However, we're now at the stage where we would like to get away. There's two adults, one age 51, one age 60, (this is actually our belated honeymoon!) and we're taking my daughter and her b/f, who are early 20s.

We initially thought about Mauritius, however I'm worried that there won't be enough to keep us entertained. Older adults are pretty chilled and like to explore the area that we're in, as well as chill out at other times. Obviously, younger ones would like to do more than us older ones! lol

Other half has now suggested Caribbean, but I'm not sure how the weather would be in September. Indian Ocean is favourable. (We are flexible with when we go, but Sept was mentioned.)

So I wonder if I might have some recommendations please. (Not cruise, as I'm scared of water! lol)

Australia was mentioned previously too. I'd love to go to Bora Bora but think it's difficult to get to?

Any recommendations gratefully received!

Thank you

dawyldthing

There’s plenty to do in Australia. Could do a split trip - Sydney for tourist stuff, cairns for diving, swimming with sharks etc in the Great Barrier Reef.

Cancun in Mexico is another I’d suggest. There’s xcaret, xel ha, chichen itza plus loads of other stuff. Been 13 years since I went but it was one of my fav holidays

Pollycat

Well. this time 2 days ago I'd have suggested Sri Lanka.

How about Bali?
September is good, we go in October and the weather starts to change towards the end of the month.

Or Malaysia? You'd need to check out the weather though.
Or Thailand? You could do a few days in Bangkok then a beach resort.

It's been many years since we went to Cancun but we loved it too.
Or Cuba?
Vietnam is becoming popular, you could combine it with Cambodia.

If you want activities rather than lounging on a beach, how about a tour of China?
You won't see everything in a couple of weeks - we didn't in 4 weeks - but you can see the 'biggies' like the Great Wall, Terracotta Warriors.

NoodleDoodleMan

You might consider a cruise.

Plenty of decent quality entertainment and activities for the younger generations - plus you get to visit really interesting places.

A couple of years ago we did a package including a Princess cruise ship - 3 nights in Las Vegas, followed by 2 nights in San Francisco then a 7 night sail down the US west coast visiting San Deigo and other Californian ports, including LA and went on the permanently moored Queen Mary.

Loved every minute.

I think you can also do it with Los Angeles as the 2 nighter rather than SF.

Ballard

NoodleDoodleMan wrote: »

You might consider a cruise.

Plenty of decent quality entertainment and activities for the younger generations - plus you get to visit really interesting places.

A couple of years ago we did a package including a Princess cruise ship - 3 nights in Las Vegas, followed by 2 nights in San Francisco then a 7 night sail down the US west coast visiting San Deigo and other Californian ports, including LA and went on the permanently moored Queen Mary.

Loved every minute.

I think you can also do it with Los Angeles as the 2 nighter rather than SF.

Or perhaps not being as they’ve specifically mentioned that that’s not an option!

Ballard

How about South Africa?

I’ve been a couple of times and most recently had a lovely trip to Durban. We stayed in Umhlanga, just to the north of the city, which is a very safe area. There’s safari options fairly nearby (Hluhluwe–iMfolozi Park) with perhaps a stay in the lovely town of St Lucia where animals ) mostly Hippos but also crocodiles and hyenas) stroll through the town at night.

Perhaps combine with some time in Cape Town which has plenty to entertain (vineyards, Table Mountain, Robben Island).

BA have started direct flights to Durban which makes life slightly easier.

slinga

We'd or rather I'd like to go to Bora Bora but it's too difficult to get to and we live in Singapore.


I always suggest Penang when someone asks these questions.


Great food, lovely people, lots to see historically and the E&O Hotel there which is not quite the equivalent of Raffles is just 100 quid a night although there are many really good boutique hotels costing much less.


This guy Rhys Williams has only been in Malaysia for less than 5 years but he speaks Bahasa Malay better than probably 80% of the population and has now made a name for himself with his food blogs:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gfKHwhR2Dbg


And if you do go to Malaysia these are some of the dishes you must try:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-LyqldqpdzE

LilElvis

Ballard wrote: »

How about South Africa?

I’ve been a couple of times and most recently had a lovely trip to Durban. We stayed in Umhlanga, just to the north of the city, which is a very safe area. There’s safari options fairly nearby (Hluhluwe–iMfolozi Park) with perhaps a stay in the lovely town of St Lucia where animals ) mostly Hippos but also crocodiles and hyenas) stroll through the town at night.

Perhaps combine with some time in Cape Town which has plenty to entertain (vineyards, Table Mountain, Robben Island).

BA have started direct flights to Durban which makes life slightly easier.

September wouldn't be a good time to travel if you want to sit on the beach as it's the end of Spring and pretty cool. November or February/ March would be better (December and January the flights are prohibitively expensive and fully booked with expats going home for Xmas, and everywhere packed with locals on their summer holidays). Internal flights would be needed to get from Durban to Cape Town as the drive from the end of the Garden Route to Durban is not really advisable. Personally I prefer the Kruger Park and you can always hop from Kruger Mpumalanga airport to Livingstone in Zambia to go to the Victoria Falls - though the prices there have skyrocketed in the last decade.

Ballard

LilElvis wrote: »

September wouldn't be a good time to travel if you want to sit on the beach as it's the end of Spring and pretty cool. November or February/ March would be better (December and January the flights are prohibitively expensive and fully booked with expats going home for Xmas, and everywhere packed with locals on their summer holidays). Internal flights would be needed to get from Durban to Cape Town as the drive from the end of the Garden Route to Durban is not really advisable. Personally I prefer the Kruger Park and you can always hop from Kruger Mpumalanga airport to Livingstone in Zambia to go to the Victoria Falls - though the prices there have skyrocketed in the last decade.

From what I gather Durban has a decent temperature pretty much all year. I went in March and it was sweltering for the first week and warm for the three or four days to end the trip. I previously went to Cape Town in August and it was warm every day. You do have a point, though, if you're after a beach holiday you could be unlucky.

LilElvis

Ballard wrote: »

From what I gather Durban has a decent temperature pretty much all year. I went in March and it was sweltering for the first week and warm for the three or four days to end the trip. I previously went to Cape Town in August and it was warm every day. You do have a point, though, if you're after a beach holiday you could be unlucky.

Their summer is also the rainy season - biblical rain in Umhlanga in November once when we were there, which really takes the temperature down. Parts of the Garden Route are also pretty decimated after the wild fires last year - Knysna was practically raised to the ground. Sweltering is the lower parts of the Kruger/ Komatipoort/ Mozambique border - low 40s even in March. Kruger could also be joined with a beach break in Mozambique, though definitely not a self drive unless you have a death wish.

NoodleDoodleMan

Or perhaps not being as they’ve specifically mentioned that that’s not an option!

Spoilsport !!!